Time for a Drink: Satan's Whiskers

It's Halloween, and trick-or-treaters of all ages are planning an evening of merriment and mischief. For a seasonally appropriate way to get the weekend started, consider this classic gin-laced troublemaker: the Satan's Whiskers.

Dating to at least 1930, Satan's Whiskers is actually relatively modest in firepower, perfect for celebrating a festive evening without making it an early night. Gin is mixed with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth and fresh orange juice, and the mixture is given crisp depth by adding orange bitters and the gentle sweetness of orange liqueur. This last point results in two versions of the cocktail: the curled version, which uses orange curacao for the liqueur; the straight version employs Grand Marnier. (A third, more recent version of the drink is the Satan's Soulpatch, which swaps bourbon for the gin.)

Halloween obviously falls on a Friday this year--so why are you still inside at your computer? Turn up the music, put on your costume and fetch the cocktail shaker; there's plenty of devilry to get into tonight.

About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.

Time for a Drink: Satan's Whiskers

About This Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 ounce gin

1/2 ounce dry vermouth

1/2 ounce sweet vermouth

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons curacao (for Curled) or Grand Marnier (for Straight)

1 teaspoon orange bitters

Procedures

1

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake well for 10 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

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